Oasis Gigs In China Cancelled Due To Finances Not Tibet, Claims Promoter

Chinese promoter claims authorities' withdrawal of performance licences had 'nothing to do with Tibet problem'

Oasis's cancelled Chinese gigs have nothing to do with Noel Gallagher's support of Tibet, according to the band's Chinese promoter. No – the government revoked Oasis's licences merely because the promoter is in a "tough economic situation".

The comments by Beijing All Culture Communication Co Ltd are in contrast to this week's statement by Oasis, which blamed Gallagher's 1997 Tibetan Freedom concert performance for the cancelled gigs in Beijing and Shanghai. "I have no money," the promoter's rep told Reuters. "It has nothing to do at all with the Tibet problem."

It is not exactly clear why a promoter's finances would prompt the Chinese Ministry of Culture to cancel Oasis's performance licences. Nor why the promoter's spokesman, Mr Luo, refused to provide Reuters with his first name or any other identifying information. Although Luo promised that such cancellations are "normal in an environment of economic crisis", there are many reasons a Chinese company may not want to be seen as the organisation that brought pro-Tibet rabble-rousers to a big stage in Beijing.

The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed Luo's assertion, albeit without clarification of any kind. "According to the organiser, the performance was cancelled because of some economic problems the organiser had," spokesman Qin Gang said at a press conference. "The Chinese authorities responsible for this, the cultural departments, have already required the organisers to provide more detailed information."

Or in other words: "Tibet? What's Tibet?"

The rest of Oasis's Asian tour, including a performance in Hong Kong, is still to go ahead as planned.

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

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